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The Nebraska Planner: October Edition

The Nebraska Planner: October Edition

A joint publication of APA Nebraska and NPZA

APA Nebraska
October 29, 2026

Welcome to the October edition of The Nebraska Planner. This month, you'll find chapter updates from APA Nebraska, the Nebraska Planning Handbook Update, National Community Planning Month, and more. Read on for the details.

Announcements

See You at the 2026 APA Quad State Conference

We look forward to connecting with planning professionals in Kansas City at the Quad State Conference! Along with key chapter events, several of our own Nebraska colleagues will be presenting during the conference. Be sure to mark your schedules and show your support.

Thursday, 11:15 AM - 1:15 PM: Keynote Luncheon & Awards | Century Ballroom C
Thursday, 1:30 - 2:30 PM: Nebraska Chapter Annual Business Meeting (Following lunch) | Pershing Place N
Thursday, 6 - 8 PM: APA NE Chapter Reception | Ricochet Social Bar & Game Lounge (1720 McGee St)

Booked on Planning Latest Episode: Women Changing Cities

In a world where urban planning has often sidelined the needs and contributions of women, a groundbreaking book by Melissa and Chris Bruntlett sheds light on how women are transforming cities across the globe. Their book, "Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation," explores the impactful stories of female leaders in urban planning and how their unique perspectives are reshaping environments to be more inclusive and livable for everyone.

To catch up on all our back episodes, search for "Book on Planning" wherever you listen to podcasts or head to www.bookedonplanning.com

Join a Volunteer Committee

Looking for a meaningful way to give back, grow your professional network, and make a direct impact on our planning community? APA Nebraska is looking for members to join our volunteer committees. No matter your schedule or area of expertise, we have a place for you. Volunteer with our Outreach, Communications, Events, Legislative, Finance, or Awards & Accreditation committees.

Interested in Becoming a Sponsor of APA Nebraska?

Sponsorship offers a valuable opportunity to support the planning profession while increasing your organization’s visibility among planners, local officials, and community leaders across the state. APA Nebraska sponsors help make our conferences, workshops, and professional development opportunities possible. We invite firms, agencies, and partners to join us in strengthening planning in Nebraska—while building meaningful connections along the way.

Learn more at: https://nebraska.planning.org/connect-apa-nebraska/sponsors-and-sponsorships/

From the Presidents

From the NPZA Vice President:

Thank you to all who helped NPZA's digital workshop training on October 16 to be a success! We had 239 attendees registered from across the state. Many of our attendees were able to fulfill their new requirement as county officials (passed in LB 663) to obtain two hours of education hours during their term. Special thanks to our speakers who shared the basics of planning and zoning and spoke on specialized topics such as floodplain management, new community development financing tools, and local decision making for data centers.

As we move further into Fall, we will soon be in full swing of preparations for the spring conference, which will be held March 3-5, 2027, at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney. One of the highlights of this event is to recognize citizen and professional planners across Nebraska who work hard to protect the public interest in planning and zoning decisions in their counties or towns. This work is often done in the background with little recognition. NPZA awards provide a chance to lift up these public servants and the positive impact of planning and zoning in our communities.

Be thinking about who in your community may deserve some recognition for a job well done and stay tuned in the coming months for these award nominations to go live. In the meantime, you can view the available categories on our website at www.npza.org/award-nominations/.

Daniel Bennett, NPZA Vice President
Judy Clark, NPZA President

From the APA Nebraska President:

Happy Fall, APA Nebraska!

It’s hard to believe that October is already here and the holidays are right around the corner! As we head into the final months of 2026, I hope everyone is finding a little time
to enjoy the fall season.

One of the highlights of this month is the Quad State APA Conference,
October 28–30, in Kansas City, Missouri. I'm pleased to report that more than 50 APA
Nebraska Chapter members have registered to attend! Our Chapter Board has been
working hard alongside the other participating Chapters to make this a successful and
rewarding conference for everyone. I want to thank all those who have dedicated their
time and efforts to planning this outstanding event. I'm looking forward to some great
educational sessions, networking opportunities, and catching up with fellow planning
professionals from across the region.

For those attending, don't forget our APA Nebraska Chapter Membership Meeting
following lunch on Thursday, October 29. Also, please join us that evening for our
Chapter Reception at Ricochet Social, 1720 McGee Street in Kansas City, from
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The venue is easily accessible via the KC Streetcar, making it
convenient for conference attendees to join us. We hope to see a great turnout at both
events!

Looking ahead, planning is already underway for our 2027 Nebraska Planning
Conference, March 3–5, in Kearney. The Call for Sessions has been sent out, with a
submission deadline of November 30. Proposals can be submitted through the
Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association website at www.npza.org. I encourage our
members to share their knowledge, innovative projects, and experiences by submitting
a session proposal. Our annual conference benefits tremendously from the expertise
and participation of our members!

Finally, as we approach the end of the year, thank you to everyone who has contributed
their time and talents to APA Nebraska throughout 2026. Your involvement and
dedication are what make our Chapter successful.

Enjoy the fall season, and I look forward to seeing many of you in Kansas City!

Bruce Fountain, AICP
President, APA Nebraska Chapter

2026 APA Nebraska Chapter Update: What We’ve Accomplished and What’s Ahead

It has been an active and impactful year for the APA Nebraska Chapter! From successful events and advocacy efforts to professional development and fresh communication channels, our volunteer-led committees have been hard at work serving our planning community across the state.

Here is a look at what our committees have accomplished, what we are currently working on, and how you can get involved.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/2026-apa-nebraska-chapter-update

How Many Kids Will It Bring?

Lincoln stopped borrowing its student generation rate and measured its own — down to the subdivision, with a margin of error on every estimate.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/how-many-kids-will-it-bring

Featured Planner: Kevin Pflager

Every community has a story, and so does every planner. Check out this issue’s Featured Planner, Kevin Pflager, and discover the people, projects, and ideas moving Nebraska forward.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/oct-26-featured-planner-kevin-pflager

Bennington 2.0: Learning From Community, Planning for the Future

One of the most exciting things happening in our Community and Regional Planning
program this semester is taking place just a short drive from Lincoln, in the community
of Bennington.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/bennington-community-planning-for-the-future

Updated Nebraska Planning Handbook

We are pleased to announce that the updated Nebraska Planning Handbook has been officially unveiled! This refreshed and modernized resource is designed to support communities, local officials, planners, and zoning administrators across the state.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/updated-nebraska-planning-handbook

October is National Community Planning Month

Planners work to improve the well-being of all people living in our communities by leveraging professional expertise, data-driven insights, and a long-term, comprehensive vision for the future. This approach leads to safer, more resilient, and more prosperous communities.

We celebrate the role that planning plays in creating great communities each October with National Community Planning Month.

https://www.nebraskaplanning.org/p/october-is-national-community-planning-month

We are always looking for content, so if you are interested in submitting an article for the next newsletter please email [email protected], or fill out this form.

- The Nebraska Planner Editorial Team

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